


Promise

by falicewins



Series: Falice One Shots by falicewins [27]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alice confronting FP, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Old Wounds, couple fights, emotional scars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-07
Updated: 2020-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:35:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23056348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/falicewins/pseuds/falicewins
Summary: Alice confronts FP after Betty reveals the truth about Jughead's death to her. He tries to explain her his motifs of why he didn't want to involve her in this plan and therefore betrayed her trust. It leads to an emotional fight where both Alice and FP show their true colors about how their scars still haunt them.
Relationships: Alice Cooper/FP Jones II
Series: Falice One Shots by falicewins [27]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1626064
Comments: 6
Kudos: 11





	Promise

**Author's Note:**

> After 4x15 I really wanted to explore FP's motive to not involve Alice in anything without using any practical side like he couldn't because it's an FBI case, or because Charles and or Jughead told him not to. It was way more interesting to think about why he wouldn't tell her on purpose and realize what kind of baggage and habits they still have from the decades they weren't together. I truly love FP as a character and before hating him for what he has done I wanted to look for something that made me understand his actions and the scars that are probably still in the way of their relationship.

The words Betty had just said to her echoed through her mind. They boy that had become family wasn't really dead after she had been mourning him for days now. Why did they keep this from her? Why did they pretend to suffer when all of that was just a big game? Why hadn't they let her in? Wasn't she trustworthy?

Her eyes lingered on the camera that she had just turned off and placed on their dining table. According to her plan she wanted to film again tomorrow, but right now she wasn't sure which way to go. This wasn't a documentary about the mysterious death of the son of her boyfriend. This was about something way deeper. And she wasn't part of it.

There wasn't much time to think about that though as FP came down the stairs dressed in his pajamas. She had just changed into her nightgown and only came downstairs to grab a glass of wine and avoid seeing him for just a little bit longer. But now she couldn't think of what she was going to say to him when she would enter their bedroom because now, he was the one looking for her.

''Are you coming upstairs?'' He asked her sleepily.

The worst part about all of this wasn't even the lie itself. It was about her doubting everything that was coming out of his mouth, every twitch on his face, every single touch. Was he really tired or did he just fake it, so she'd come upstairs and he'd pretend to fall asleep to avoid a conversation about the day full of lies they just had?

It didn't last long before he read the anger in her eyes and he stopped his walk in the middle of the living room.

''Care to explain why I needed to hear from my daughter about the scheme you're all in on?'' She crossed her arms and if looks could kill FP would have been dead by now.

He gulped and his body tensed up. This was bad news. This was very bad news. Betty broke her promise. It was his task to tell her after Donna started to doubt herself. Their mission hadn't really started yet, this was just something they had to go through before their real plan. 

FP didn't want to involve her unless absolutely necessary. Jughead was going to confront them later this week and that would be when FP was supposed to tell her. But there was no use in blaming Betty now.

''Alice, I—'' He started carefully as he took a step closer to the kitchen counter where she was standing. Her eyes told him enough, though. Not one step closer. He took a deep breath and started explaining.

''Jughead and Charles came to me to talk about Quill and Skull. I'd never thought things would go down this way so fast, I wanted to tell you but—''

Alice didn't give time to finish. Their conversation had just started but she was done with the excuses he was already trying to make-up.

''But what, FP? After all that we have been through you don't trust me?! You think it was a good idea to keep something this big from me?!'' She scoffed loudly as she walked around the kitchen counter to face him. Her body was filled with rage and she was going to make sure he was feeling it.

''I trust you, Alice. Believe me, I do. This isn't just my case. The FBI is involved, you know how that goes.'' He tried to remain calm, but he felt himself getting worked up more by the second. This wasn't just about them or their relationship, this was about the life of his son who was in danger. All he wanted was for her to see the bigger picture the way he did.

''Don't you dare try to turn this around about me not telling you about The Farm or Charles. You damn well why I couldn't. You're just forgetting one important thing, FP.'' She spat out as she walked over to him, now dangerously close to his face. Her voice lowered more and more which was a sign that she was beyond mad. Maybe even beyond furious by now.

She was so close that he could read her eyes, which wasn't just filled with pure anger. There was a hint of disappointment and hurt in there too, which was exactly what he had tried to avoid. But he was the reason she felt this way, and he was facing the consequences now.

''We made a promise. We were past our secrets, our lies. Or at least I thought we were. Guess old habits die hard, don't they?'' She shook her head in disbelief as tears had formed in her eyes. 

Alice didn't want to cry, not when all she wanted to radiate was rage. None of the people in this house deserved her tears right now, especially not the man she thought she could trust. Apparently, those feelings weren't mutual, and never had been.

She bumped her shoulders against his own and made her way towards the stairs but didn't manage to do so as FP grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards him. In a split second she yanked her arm back and looked at him with so much fire in her eyes that it frightened him.

''I know I should have told you.'' He said quietly, his face softening as he hoped that she would soften too. 

The look on her face had made him realize that it wasn't just about a lie. He had expected her to see the bigger picture but all that made him lose sight of the real bigger picture that was going on.

But she wasn't there yet. She wasn't done showing her rage that she maybe felt more to herself and her past mistakes that led to this moment than to the whole Quill and Skull situation. Did she call this upon herself? Did she do something that made them want to exclude her form their plan? Weren't they a family like she believed they were?

''It's a little too late for that, FP. It was so naïve of me to think that this time things would be different between us. Truth is, everything is the same as it used to be. You still don't see us as something real and you never will, isn't it?'' 

She kept herself standing by only letting her emotions of rage show as her cold voice felt like a knife stabbing him into his very soul. But it wasn't unlike Alice to let it slip just for a second where her voice cracked, that betrayed that she was deeply hurt.

The more she talked, the more irritated FP got by the way she spoke about his view on their relationship. Thing was, she had no idea and it was time she he'd tell her loud and clear.

''Could you stop assuming things for one second?!'' FP suddenly blurted out as he raised his voice.

A flash of hurt fell over her face once he started yelling but she got herself together again a second later as she dangerously raised her eye-brow to him, almost asking him where he'd find the audacity to talk to her that way.

''You are the one person on this planet that I care about enough not to drag down with me. You know what working for the FBI can do to you. Fuck, I almost lost you because of that case.'' His voice was soft again and he shook his head slightly as he thought back of what could have happened when she was undercover. For a few seconds he looked down at the floor as he pushed away the possible scenarios of what could have been.

He expected her to say something, but she remained silent and that is when he looked back up again to meet her eyes.

''And I know you Alice. The minute I'd tell you, you'd be all in. But I am not risking losing you again, you hear me? This isn't about trust. This is about me protecting you because you got to learn with the fact that I love you.'' His voice raised a little again and this time he took another step in her direction while he pointed his finger at her.

FP wasn't even sure why he was so worked up. Was it because she didn't understand his motifs? Was it because he knew he was in the wrong by not sharing his feelings about her joining another FBI mission? Or was it both?

''I'm a grown woman, FP. Protecting me isn't your job. I've learned to be pretty good at that. You can't expect me to sit back just you can satisfy your male needs to protect me. That's not how we work, you should now that by now.'' She scoffed slightly as she yanked his finger down from pointing at her.

He sighed loudly as he rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hands before talking to her again. It wasn't if he didn't knew she was an adult who had done more badass things than most people in multiple lives, but part of him blamed himself every single day for not being able to be there for her. 

He drove her into the arms of a serial killer for over twenty years. He was the reason they almost lost their son. All he could do now was to make up for all his past mistakes was to promise himself to protect her until his last breath.

''You know that it isn't me worrying about you not being able to take care of yourself. I know damn well you can. Probably even better than I can do myself. But I have seen you wake up in the middle of the night having a panic attack. I have seen the fear in your eyes. I felt that somehow deep down there was a broken woman there who was too afraid to tell that she wasn't okay. And you know what? That was something I'd never want to see again.''

Tears welled up in his eyes as he spoke about all the times he'd wake up with her crying next to him. All the nights she clung onto him for dear life and pretend things were fine the next morning. All the nights that he had to lull her to sleep whispering sweet words in her ear.

Alice had slowly softened as she realized that even when he hadn't been part of it, her mission and the consequences she dealt with after her return had a big impact on him too. Not for a second she'd realized that seeing her like that, even when she made progress every single day must have hurt him.

''That doesn't excuse the fact that you lied to me, FP. You did the one thing we promised to never do anymore. This is what you could have told me. I'm sick of not being honest with each other. Because if we can't be honest, what are we even doing here?'' She asked him once she had found the courage to speak.

Her voice was now soft again, which felt for FP that they were willing to really talk now. He knew he made a big mistake, but it was how they would handle that what's important. She took a few steps into his direction and slowly grabbed one of his hands to intertwine her fingers with her own.

''We have twenty-five years of baggage to unpack, Alice. I realize now that I could have told you the way I felt. When it comes to us, I am still learning every single day, I hope you understand that.'' FP said quietly, as he grabbed her other hand too.

She realized he was right though. Their relationship was rooted till deep down in their teenage years and all those years had been filled with miscommunication, secrets, unsaid desire, unconditional love, running away, hating each other, trust issues and toxic marriages.

That wasn't just something they could grow past in a few months. That would take years, maybe forever even. This was just one of the life lessons that would improve their relationship instead of destroying it, because neither of them would ever let go of what they have ever again.

''I want us to learn together. We aren't doing this on our own anymore. We'll unravel new things about us every single day, but we got to talk about that instead of doing this the way we were used to. Your kids are my kids. We're a family now, I thought you felt the same.''

She broke their hand hold to wrap her arms around his waist and finally hold him close. Without talking they'd never get to the point where they needed to be and it was one of the first things they'd learned to do after years of avoiding any form of communication that involved being vulnerable.

''I do. You've always been my family. I never meant to exclude you. All I want is to keep you safe and I thought this was the way to do so. That society will kill if they have to. I couldn't risk them laying a finger on you.'' He said softly, as his hands found its place on her hips and gently pushed her towards him so their forehead almost touched.

''You can't protect me from everything dark in this world, FP. I appreciate you trying but both of us already had a lot of rough things to deal with and that won't be different for the rest of our lives.'' She placed her hand on his cheek to make him open his eyes and looked straight into hers as she spoke.

Now he had explained where he came from, she'd understand why he did what he did, but that didn't mean it could happen ever again. They were past underestimating the other. It was all or nothing.

''We'll always have to fight, that's just in our blood. It will just make me feel so much better if you'd include me. If we win, we win together. If we lose, we'll go down together. That's what's important.'' She smiled slightly as she saw the glistering in his eyes.

He felt it too. It was if there opened another dimension in their relationship wherein he for the very first time realized he really wasn't alone. She'd told him before, but this time she proved she meant those words.

''I like the sound of that. Together.'' He said softly as he placed a strand of hair behind her ear. FP leant in to softly peck a kiss on her lips that felt way warmer, way more lovingly than most kissed they had before. Things were fine. They were fine.

''I'm sorry for being the one that hurt you. Sometimes I just get a blind spot and fall back in old patterns that I should have gotten rid of a long time ago.'' He sighed as he pulled back and stroke her jawline with his thumb.

Alice smiled slightly and squeezed his waist. She knew like no other that getting rid of old habits was difficult. She was still trying to get rid of them every single day. But they'd get there, that was one thing she was sure about.

''Lucky for you, you've got me to help you now and forever.'' She winked playfully before she embraced him tightly and placed her head on his chest just at the place of his heart.

His arms wrapped around her instantly and his head rested on top of hers. He placed a kiss on her crown as she listened to his heartbeat, which always worked as a calming effect on her.

''Did you mean what you said?'' She asked quietly.

''Every word. But which part are you referring to exactly?'' He rubbed slow circles on her back as he looked down at her while she was deep into her own thoughts.

When they had started yelling at her there were a few words that had struck her like lightning. It was something she'd never expect him to say like that, but she knew by the way he was emotional when he spoke that it must have been genuine. Still, she wanted to make sure that it was his intention to say it out loud.

''That you love me?'' She cleared up and pulled back from his chest to look into his eyes again. He could read the insecurity in her ocean blue ones, even when there was no need for. This woman was everything to him.

''Yeah, Alice. I do. I love you.'' He said confident as he kissed her again, deepening it more than before. She hummed contently against his lips as her hands had travelled to his face to cup his cheeks.

''Good. Because I love you too.'' She said shyly as she had pulled back.

The blush on her cheeks was adorable and he chuckled quietly as he looked at the spark in her eyes. Her hands reached downwards and landed on his abdomen as her look suddenly became curious again. He knew that look, that was the way she looked when she was working. Or better said The Alice Smith Pitbull journalism look. Terrifying and insanely hot at the same time.

''Will you tell me about your plan now? Where is Jughead? What should I know?'' She started to ask in a row, barely giving herself time to breathe.

FP shook his head with a smile and placed a kiss on her forehead. It was because she wasn't dressed in one of her pantsuits that it was so cute to see her this way, as if she couldn't let go of her work for a second.

''I'll tell you everything tomorrow morning. Right now, I just want to lay in bed with you and hold you, okay?'' He said softly as he pulled back from the kiss he had just given her.

''Promise?'' She raised her eyebrow.

''Promise.'' He assured her. And she believed him. Because without trust, they wouldn't move forward.


End file.
